'I think I do,' Mildred replied a little wistfully, and she cast a
last look on the young man whom she must admire no more. Ralph opened
the door marked _students only_, and they went down the stone steps.
When they came to where the men and women separated for their
different rooms, Mildred asked Ralph if he were going out to lunch? He
hesitated, and then answered that it took too long to go to a
restaurant. Mildred guessed by his manner that he had no money.

'There's no place in the gallery where we can get lunch--you women are
luckier than us men. What do they give you in your room?'

'You mean in the way of meat? Cold meat, beef and ham, pork pies. But
I don't care for meat, I never touch it.'

'What do you eat?'

'There are some nice cakes. I'll go and get some; we'll share them.'

'No, no, I really am not hungry, much obliged.'

'Oh, do let me go and get some cakes, it'll be such fun, and so much
nicer than sitting with a lot of women in that little room.'

They shared their cakes, walking up and down the great stone passages,
and this was the beginning of their intimacy. On the following week
she wrote to say what train she was coming up by; he met her at the
station, and they went together to the National Gallery. But their way
led through St. James' Park; they lingered there, and, as the season
advanced, their lingerings in the park grew longer and longer.